Kinesiology, Ph.D.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: January 15

Spring: October 1

* * NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS * *

Applications are reviewed as they are received throughout the year. Therefore, complete applications received after the due dates are considered if space is available. Candidates interested in an assistantship are especially encouraged to submit their applications by the deadline date.

Letters of Reference:

From Whom:
Letters of recommendation should be obtained from faculty or people in industry who are familiar with the applicant's academic and/or research aptitude.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

No specific coursework is required.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A master's degree is not required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate baccalaureate degree at Temple University.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be clearly written and well thought out. It should be approximately 1-2 pages in length.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. Scores of 500 each are preferred on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE. Occasionally, students with lower totals are accepted if undergraduate work and/or other life experiences suggest a high degree of probability of success in the graduate program.

Interview:

An interview is scheduled at a mutually convenient time between the faculty interviewer(s) and the applicant. With rare exceptions, an onsite interview is required for the Ph.D. program.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Writing Sample:

A writing sample is required. The topic is flexible, but must be relevant to Kinesiology.

Advanced Standing:

Students who enter the doctoral program with the master's degree may receive up to 30 credits of advanced standing toward the Ph.D. degree. The maximum number of advanced standing credits awarded is 30.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 38

Required Courses:

KINES 9683: Mentored Research I

KINES 9783: Mentored Research II

KINES 9901: Research Methods
in Physical Education I

Two intermediate or advanced-level Statistics courses

Additional required courses vary by area of concentration.

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Preliminary Examination:

All Ph.D. candidates in Kinesiology must complete the Preliminary Examination, which includes two requirements: 1) successful completion of a set of four questions that examine the doctoral students' competency in their subdiscipline; and 2) submission of a research article of publishable quality, as first author, to a refereed journal. Note that a literature review does not fulfill the second requirement. Further specifics about the Preliminary Examination requirement are defined in the Department of Kinesiology Graduate Handbook.

Dissertation:

The dissertation represents a research study that provides a substantive contribution to the literature. As such, it is a rigorous examination of a research problem that requires extensive investigation, using quantitative and/or qualitative methodology. The dissertation proposal encompasses the first part of the dissertation: introduction, review of literature, and methodology. It is a substantive document that spells out clearly the rationale for the research, reviews the literature, and precisely identifies the methodology to be used in answering the research problem. The proposal is reviewed and approved by the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC), which is a committee composed of three graduate faculty members, some of whom may be from outside the department. The original three-person DAC, plus two additional readers, one of whom must be from outside the department, form the Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC). The defense is scheduled at the mutual convenience of the student and the members of the DEC. Notice is provided to the College of Health Professions and Social Work, which completes the necessary paperwork to announce the defense date, time, and location. The DEC reviews and discusses the defense. Overall evaluation of pass/fail with recommendations for improvements of the dissertation result.

About the Program

The mission of the Department of Kinesiology is to advance comprehensive inquiry into, and understanding of, human movement in all of its forms and implications. The program primarily trains academicians but also clinicians/practitioners in some areas. The program offers an opportunity to engage in coursework as well as research and applied work across a range of subdisciplines within the discipline of Kinesiology.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Main

Classes are occasionally offered at Fort Washington. Elective classes are also offered on the Center City, Ambler, and Health Sciences Center campuses.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are able to complete the degree program through classes offered after 4:30 p.m. Students are also able to complete the degree program on a part-time basis (8 credit hours or less per semester).

Department Information:

Interdisciplinary Study:

Interdisciplinary study is available within the department as well as with other departments in the University.

Affiliation(s):

Not applicable.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

While rankings of individual programs and the department are not conducted in the profession, the programs at Temple University have excellent reputations. For example, the Athletic Training area is one of only three programs in the country with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level training as well as NATA-accredited undergraduate and graduate programs.

Accreditation:

Not applicable.

Areas of Specialization:

The program has four primary areas of concentration: Athletic Training, Curriculum and Instruction, Integrative Exercise Physiology, and Psychology of Movement.

Job Placement:

The majority of graduates find positions in academic institutions. Some work in research and clinical settings. Training is primarily for academic and research positions at institutions of higher learning.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Degree Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students are permitted to take up to 9 credit hours in the department, provided they have the requisite knowledge to be successful in the coursework.

Financing Opportunities

Assistantship duties include, but are not limited to, teaching activity courses in a variety of movement forms and sports; teaching laboratory sections of undergraduate courses such as Biomechanics, Physiology of Exercise, and Human Anatomy and Physiology; supervising student teachers; serving as a research assistant in the Biokinetic Research Laboratory; or serving as an administrative assistant to one of the department administrators.